Politics

Political tension mount to its crescendos as aspirants in both the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Labour Party (LP) were engaged in high-wired intrigues, manoeuvring that produced candidates laying claims to the parties’ tickets ahead of the September 21 governorship election for the soul of the state. At the end of the power plays among political gladiators at their various parties’ primaries, Senator Monday Okpebholo, (APC), former chairman, Sterling Bank Plc, Dr Asuen Ighodalo, (PDP) and former president of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Barrister Olumide Akpata, all emerged standard flagbearers of their…

The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, has refuted claims that he has the ambition of becoming the next Governor of Ekiti State. Alake, in a statement on Monday released by his spokesman, Segun Tomori, stated that he has no interest in running for governor now or in the near future. The former Lagos Commissioner stated that he is very committed to his current national assignment as a minister, adding that he has nothing to do with a fake campaign poster circulating on social media. According to the minister, the poster in circulation does not have his approval as…

Ahmed Usman Ododo has been sworn in as the governor of Kogi State after months he was elected to take over from Yahaya Bello who has completed his second term in office. Ododo took the oath of office at around 2:24 pm at in Lokoja on Saturday. His inauguration came just minutes after Salifu Joel Oyibo took his oath of office as the deputy governor of Kogi State. Dignitaries at the ceremony include Vice President Kashim Shettima, Chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum and Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRasaq, Immediate-past Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, National Chairman of the…

Amid the growing outcry against the dwindling impact of governance on the economy and security of Nigerians, various political interests have in the last few months talked about the formation of fresh coalitions or mega parties in the country. Leading opposition parties such as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), the Social Democratic Party (SDP), the African Democratic Congress (ADC), the Young Progressive Party (YPP), Allied Peoples Movement (APM) and the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) said the move is to stop the governing All Progressives Congress (APC) from forcing Nigeria into a one-party state. Although…

Prominent businessman, Chief Chris Odinaka Igwe on Tuesday dumped the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), for the All Progressives Congress (APC), after a marathon meeting with the lawmaker representing Abia North Senatorial District, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu. A source close to the former Abia State Governor confirmed the defection of Chief Igwe with over 5,000 of his supporters. “Chief Chris Igwe has joined the APC after meeting with his business ally and friend, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu. It is a big plus for the APC in Umunneochi Local Government Area and Abia State in general,” the source said. Prince Chris Odinaka…

Many members of the Labour Party in Anambra State were left disappointed and frustrated on Sunday as the much touted empowerment programme of Senator Tony Nwoye representing Anambra North failed to take place. The angry party members who assembled at the DMGS field, Onitsha, went home angry and disappointed. The party faithfuls who were invited from the 21 local government areas of Anambra State claimed that they were short-changed and misled to converge at the venue only to go home with nothing, not even transport fares. Patrick Obiakor who spoke to newsmen said he and others travelled far away from…

Presidential aspirants of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2023 general election said yesterday that they had all agreed to drop their ambition for the 2027 presidency to pave the way for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s second term bid. Accordingly, the presidential hopefuls have formed a forum known as Forum of 2023 APC Presidential Aspirants, which is billed to be inaugurated on Monday, December 18, at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja. The forum disclosed this in a statement signed by its convener/acting Chairman and former Zamfara State governor, Senator Ahmed Sani Yerima, and the youngest APC presidential aspirant in…

Even though the current political crisis, occasioned by the disagreement between Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State and his predecessor, godfather and Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, was not quite unexpected, the fact that it came so soon did not give some stakeholders in the state enough time to plan their next political move. But with the current scenario, many of them have started the process of realignment, overtly for those with the gut and covertly for those unsure of where the pendulum would swing. Indeed, quite a number of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftains and disgruntled All…

The list of commissioners, special advisers and other key aides as well as their portfolios was handed over to the Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, by his predecessor, Nyesom Wike. A close aide of the governor, who disclosed this exclusively to Saturday Punch, said Fubara had no input into the appointments as his predecessor was solely responsible for their selection and appointment. The source said the resignation of some of the commissioners was a confirmation that they were not the governor’s choices, but were rather imposed by Wike, who installed Fubara as his successor. The aide stated, “Yes, the resignation…

The political climate in Rivers State has resulted in numerous confrontations between former governors and their successors, with no apparent conclusion in sight. The most recent example of this drama is the disagreement between the state’s current governor, Siminalayi Fubara, and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, who is currently the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory. Twenty-seven assembly members defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) this week as a result of the political division and tension caused by the differences between Fubara and Wike. An attempt to impeach the governor had also been made by some lawmakers in the state.…